Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on January 21

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

☕ Afternoon briefing on January 21

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 21 (Hanoi time) sent congratulations to Donald Trump on being sworn in as the 47th President of the US.

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The three Vietnamese leaders affirmed that Vietnam views the US as a partner of strategic importance. Read full story

- National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Caroline St-Hilaire, Administrator of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on January 21.

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National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) receives OIF Administrator Caroline St-Hilaire (Photo: VNA)

Caroline St-Hilaire is in Vietnam to attend the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF) Executive Committee’s meeting and a parliamentary forum on Francophonie cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security, and climate change response. Read full story

- National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man received President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF) and Senior Deputy Speaker of Cameroon's National Assembly Hilarion Etong in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on January 21.

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National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (R) welcomes President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie and Senior Deputy Speaker of Cameroon's National Assembly Hilarion Etong on January 21. (Photo: VNA)

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the APF Executive Committee’s meeting and a parliamentary forum on Francophonie cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security, and climate change response held in the Vietnamese locality. Read full story

- The thriving Vietnam – Spain relations have evolved significantly, building upon their strong foundation nurtured for the last nearly five decades, Spanish Ambassador Carmen Cano de Lasala has said.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the diplomat highlighted the robust development of bilateral relations over the recent past, with Spain becoming the first country in the European Union to establish a strategic partnership with Vietnam – in 2009, paving the way for enhanced collaboration across multiple sectors. The two countries will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Spanish Embassy in Hanoi in 2026 and the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations in the following year. Read full story

- Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien pledged Vietnam’s support to Czech businesses and investors while addressing the bilateral business forum held in Prague on January 20 as part of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to the European country.

Dien praised the Czech Republic’s economic achievements and position in the region and the world, describing the country as a technological and scientific innovation hub with a thriving startup ecosystem. It is an important link in the global supply chains of many industries such as automobile, machinery, energy, aviation, and defence industries, and also boasts significant strides in renewable energy and green technology. Read full story

- A seminar was held in Brussels on January 19 to gather contributions from Vietnamese intellectuals in Belgium and Luxembourg to enhance Vietnam-EU cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.

Co-organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium and Luxembourg and the Vietnamese Mission to the European Union (EU), the seminar attracted 140 experts and intellectuals working in leading research institutes, universities, and businesses in the two countries. Read full story

- Hanoi has set a goal of achieving an annual growth rate of 10.5-11% during the 2025-2030 period, focusing on bolstering traditional economic drivers while implementing innovative solutions to promote new ones.

At the 21st conference of the 17th Hanoi Party Committee on January 21, city officials presented a draft political report outlining their plans to accelerate public investment disbursement starting in 2025. This strategy is designed to leverage public funding to attract private and social investments, foster public-private partnerships, and stimulate both consumption and production. Read full story

- A light show featuring 2,025 drones will brighten Hanoi's sky at My Dinh National Stadium on the Lunar New Year's Eve that falls on January 28.

The show is part of an artistic programme “Ruc ro Thang Long 2025” (Brilliant Thang Long 2025) to be jointly organised by the municipal Party Committee's Information and Education Board, the Department of Information and Communications, the Department of Culture and Sports, the People's Committee of Nam Tu Liem district, and Corex Business Solutions Joint Stock Company, organisers announced on January 20. Read full story

- A series of activities celebrating the Lunar New Year (Tet) is being held at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Hanoi.

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A standout in the lineup is a space themed Old Tet - Tet during the subsidy period, recreating a special historical period of the country (Photo: laodongthudo.vn)

Running from January 20 (the 21st day of the final month of the Year of the Dragon) to February 6 (the 9th day of the first month of the Year of the Snake), the programme offers participants a glimpse into festive traditions. Read full story

- The “Million Steps of Kindness – Continuing the Golden History” campaign has reached a remarkable milestone, achieving 50% of its target in just 60 days, the Vietnam Red Cross Society announced.

With widespread contributions from organisations and individuals nationwide, the total funds converted from walking and running activities via the vRace app have surpassed 2.6 billion VND (nearly 103,000 USD), equivalent to over 2.6 million kilometers./. Read full story

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